The rapid rise in the number of emerging pathogens in the world's population represents a serious global health problem and underscores the need to develop broad spectrum anti-infectives that target common components of large classes of pathogens. Targeting of viral proteins has the inextricable challenge of rise of resistance. Safe and effective vaccines are not possible for many viral pathogens. New approaches are required to address the unmet medical need in this area.
An understanding of the molecular mechanisms of viral life cycles has led to the identification of viral proteins as targets for therapeutic intervention, however few effective and safe agents have emerged, and these face the challenge of high mutation rates that have confounded many conventional antiviral products.
As an alternative to targeting viral proteins, targeting a cellular protein may lead to antiviral compounds with a broader spectrum of activity and less opportunity for developing resistance. However, targeting the host may result in toxicity, especially if the protein or pathway used is crucial for cell survival. The present invention provides broad spectrum anti-infective agents for use in treating viral infections.